The present invention relates to cargo retaining equipment, and in particular to a unique cargo stabilizer, which is particularly designed for aftermarket installation in conventional utility vehicles, such as pickup trucks, vans and the like.
Conventional utility vehicles, such as pickup trucks and vans are currently very popular with homeowners who use these vehicles as a primary mode of transportation in place of the family car. Many of these vehicles are custom painted, well maintained, and in the case of pickup trucks, may have a cap or tarpaulin covering the truck bed. Campers and toppers are also installed in the bed of pickup trucks. Homeowners typically use these vehicles to transport recreational equipment, such as bicycles, trail bikes, snowmobiles, outboard motors and the like, as well as home improvement materials, such as refrigerators, stoves, lumber, bricks, paint and ladders. Such utility vehicles are also used for other household applications, such as carrying groceries, camping equipment, furniture and other similar bulky articles.
In most instances, the load or cargo being transported does not completely fill the vehicle bed. As a result, the cargo will shift fore-to-aft along the length of the bed when the vehicle is accelerated and decelerated, or it will slide side-to-side across the width of the vehicle bed when the vehicle goes around a curve or corner, unless the cargo is appropriately restrained. When articles shift within the vehicle bed, they can slam with considerable force into the walls of the vehicle bed, or into other articles in the vehicle bed. As a result, the walls of the vehicle may become chipped or dented, which detrimentally affects the aesthetic appearance and value of the vehicle. Further, the articles being transported may themselves become damaged. Moreover, the shifting articles can present a safety hazard if they fall out of the vehicle, or distract the driver of the vehicle.
Truck and van owners have only a few non-commercial, aftermarket types of stabilizers available to them which can be used to prevent or minimize the shifting of cargo in the vehicle bed. Most of these cargo stabilizers, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 2,608,420 to Eck, entitled LOAD BRACING STRUCTURE FOR VEHICLES, are designed for use in commercial carriers, and are only effective in preventing the longitudinal movement of an article. When the vehicle is accelerated or decelerated, the articles still can shift laterally across the width of the bed, or when the vehicle goes around a corner. A few stabilizers, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,849 to Christopher, entitled STABILIZER FOR ARTCICLES CARRIED WITHIN A VEHICLE BED prevent, to some extent, the lateral movement of small articles. However, the stabilizer is really a vertical hold-down that does not positively prevent lateral movement of the cargo. Also such stabilizers cannot prevent the lateral shifting of large articles, such as refrigerators, etc., which extend above the height of the crossbar. Further, these and other stabilizers available on the market are quite complicated in design, expensive to manufacture, difficult to install, and are usually considered aesthetically unpleasing. Because they attach to the top of the vehicle bed, they can interfere or prevent the use of covers, caps, campers and the like, on the vehicle bed.
Therefore, a need exists for an uncomplicated, economical cargo stabilizer, which can prevent not only the longitudinal movement of an article in the vehicle bed, but also the lateral movement of that article. Further, a need exists for a stabilizer which is easily adjustable so as to prevent the lateral movement of articles of various shapes and sizes. A need also exists for a stabilizer which is inexpensive to manufacture, easily and quickly installed in an aftermarket environment, and does not substantially affect the aesthetic appearance of the vehicle, or hinder the use of covers, caps, toppers, campers and the like.